Amid growing talk about a contested Republican convention in Cleveland, GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump expressed concern about the city’s welfare if anyone but him gets the party’s nomination.

“If I have more delegates than anyone else going into the convention, which it most certainly looks that way, my people and I believe I should get the nomination,” Trump said on CNN’sNew Day. “But if I don’t get the nomination, that would be most regrettable, not just for me and the millions of people who voted for me, but perhaps most especially for the people of Cleveland, who may end up having some riots on their hands.”

Trump clarified, “I’m just saying, those thug protesters disrupting my rallies hate me so much, if I didn’t get the nomination, they’d probably celebrate by rioting in the streets outside the convention hall, burning cars and looting like those animals do after their team wins the Super Bowl or World Series or whatever.”

Rules state Trump could secure the nomination by winning the requisite 1,237 delegates during the GOP primaries and caucuses. However, if none of the Republican contenders reach that number, regardless of how close someone may be to 1,237, all bets are off, as each candidate in the field — or even someone else drafted at the July convention, like Paul Ryan or Mitt Romney — would have a chance to sway delegates to vote for him.

“I hear party insiders are working on a plan to possibly nominate someone with a tiny fraction of the delegates I have won fair and square, or even giving it to someone who isn’t even a candidate right now. Well, I’d hate to see something bad happen to Cleveland if I don’t get the nomination,” said Trump, a member of the Legitimate Businessman’s Association. “I’m sure no one wants to see the Cuyahoga River on fire again because I’m not the nominee.”

Trump said he hoped the party bosses would have a change of heart and appreciate his concern for the city’s well-being, or else “Cleveland might need help getting into the trunk of its car.”

He concluded, “It would be most unfortunate if me being robbed of the nomination robbed the people of Cleveland of their ability to walk anywhere in peace.”